Method of and apparatus for making lock washers



Nov. 3, 1-925. 1,560,228

. G. K. GARRETT METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LOCK WASHERS Filed March 9. 1 5 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATlTORNEfi Nov. 3 1925- 1,560,228

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NVYENTOR.

' ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE K. GARRETT, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD 0'1 AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING- LOCK WASHERS.

Application filed March a, 1925. Serial No. 14,1517.

of and apparatus for automatically and ex-' peditiously making lock washers, wherein the bar from which the washers are made is serrated or roughened on both sides simultaneously during its propulsion towards forming or coiling devices, means being 'provided for simultaneously separating the outer convolutions from which each washer is formed prior to the automatic finishing or cutting of the same, whereby, lock washers of a standard and uniform dimension are continuously and automatically formed from the stock or bar of material which is intermittently or otherwise fed to the coiling or forming devices, Where the coils are automatically cut to produce the finished washer which is offset at its juxtaposed ends,

and provided with serrations on the opposite surfaces thereof.

It further consists of a novel method of forming oppositely disposed milled surfaces upon a keystone shaped bar of material and subsequently changing the shape of said bar into convolutions, which are rectangular in cross-section, said convolutions bein subsequently presented to a cutting device and severedat intervals to form a finished lock washer.

It further consists of other features of construction and advantage, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred by me, since they have been found 1n practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organizaticn of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of one form of an apparatus for carrying out'the novel steps of my nvention,

Figure 2 represents a horizontal section on line 2-2 Figure 1. Figure 3 represents on an enlarged" scale a vertical sectlon on line 3-3 Figure 1.

Figure'4 represents a section on line 4- 1 Figure 3. y

Figure 5 represents an end elevation of a portion of Figure 1, showing the ratchet operating means and their adjuncts.

Figure 6 represents on an enlarged scale a perspective view of a finished washer.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates one form of a machine in which my novel method or process may be carried out, said machine having the base or table '2, and the upright portion or block 3, upon which is supported the main or eccentric shaft 4, which is provided with the tight and loose pulleys 5 and 6. The shaft 4 is mounted in suitable bearings 7, between which is mounted on said shaft, the eccentric 8,:

carrying the eccentric strap 9 having the arm 10 which is pivotally connected at 11 to the slide 12, which carries the knife or cutter 13, whose relative position to the stationary arbor 14, upon which the convolutions from which the washers are formed, will be understood from Figure 1; said arbor being suitably secured in the block 3. 15 designates a crank or eccentric disc secured to the outer end of the shaft 4 and provided with the diametric slot 16, in which is adjustably mounted the upper pivotal connection 17, for the link 18. The lower end of the link 18 is pivotally mounted at 19, upon the arm 20, which is movably mounted upon the shaft 21. At the point 19 is mounted a pawl 22, which is pressed by the spring 23 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 24, said ratchet being fast upon the shaft 21, which rotates in the bearings 25, 26 and 27, as will be understood from Figure 1. The shaft 21 has mounted thereon the gear 28, which is in mesh with the gear 29 carried by the shaft 30. 31 and 32 designate the feeding and knurling rolls having the 'guide flanges 57 which are mounted on the shafts 21 andz30 respectively, and between which passes the continuous bar or stock 33 from which the spring washers, hereinafter referred to, are formed. The bar, wire, or other material 33 is initially of a keystone shape, as will b ame fr m F g e i, and is inter mittently fed upwardly between the knurling tools 31 and 32, by latter, past; the arbor 14 against the bottom periphery of the idle forming or guide roll 35, having a wedge shaped guide bead 36 thereon, whereby the straight bar 33 is coiled to form the convolutions 37. The outermost convolution, as indicated at 38 and 39, may be separated by a separating blade 40, as seen in Figure 3, at which stage the cutter 13 descends and shears off the finished washer, seen at 54 in Figure 6, having its sides milled as at 58, and provided with the juxtaposed offset ends 59.

The forming guide roll 35 is rotatably mounted on the stationary shaft 41 secured in the block 3, and is held in position thereon by the nut and Washer 42 and 43, said shaft 41 being out of vertical alignment with the arbor 14; the vertical center line of said shaft 41 being substantially tangent to the periphery of the arbor 14. 44 and 45 designate lugs. located on the block 3 about in horizontal alignment with the stationary arbor 14. The lug 44 has the adjustment and set screw 46 in threaded engagement therewith, whereby the slide 47 is actuated, having the forming or guide face 48, said slide being locked rigidly after it is set properly on its ways, by the bolt 49. In the ing 45 is threadedtheadjustment and set screw 50, which actuates the slide 51, having the forming or guide face 52, said slide being in turn locked on itsways, by the bolt 53.

' The anvil is positioned directly under the arbor. 14, and its upper face 56 is concave to assist in the support of coil 37, and particularly the convolutions thereof neanothe free end of the arbor 14; so as to relieve the arbor of the major portion. of the strain in cident to the shearing operation.

In order to prevent any buckling of the rod 33 between the contacting points 60 and 61 of the rolls 31 and 32, and the forming roll 35, there is provided around the rod 33 a close and straight passageway 62, extending down substantially tothe contact points 60 and 61 and thus closely encasing the rod 33 throughout its travel from the feeding and knurling rolls 31 and 32 to the forming devices.

By my novel method of making lock gwashers it is possible to make any size or, thickness of washer by merely using a different size wire or rod 33 and providing knurling rolls and forming devices of proper size. With any given size of wire or rod 33 however, it is also possible to make different sizes of washers within certain practical limits, by the proper adjustment of the forming devlces and the corresponding adjustment of the wire feeding mechanism. Thus uponreference to the figures of the drawings and the foregoing description, it will be seen that while the thickness andcross-sectional area the rotation 1 of the of .the finished washer is governed by the I initial cross-section of the wire or bar from which the washer is formed, as well as by the radius of curvature of the eonvolutions formed about the stationary mandrel or arbor; the diameter, or what is commonly understood by the size of the washer is controlled and governed by the distance of the roll 35 and the guides 47 and 51, from the arbor 14.

In making lock washers by my novel method, I preferably use a ferrous metal, initially highly ductile and pliable without any cracking, and which is capable of being subsequently hardened and tempered to a suitable spring hardness. Suitable grades of steel or ferrous alloys having the above desired characteristics may now be found,

on the market. The metal is then drawn to a keystone shaped rod or wire, which for ease in handling is preferably continuous and wound on a suitable spool or drum. Since the finished washer must," for all practical purposes, have a rectangular cross-section, that is, it must be of uniform thickness between the outer and inner periphery thereof, the .cross sectional dimensions of the keystone, wire are therefore determined by the radius of the curvature of the wire in the finished state, that is, the diameter of the washer. Knowing the inside and outside diameters of the washer de-. sired, and hence the inner and outer circumferences thereof, the two parallel edges of the keystone are made to bear substantially the same relation to each other as the in Her and outer circumferences of the finished washer bear to each other; so that when the outer or greater edge of the wire is. stretched or distended to form the outer or greater circumferential edge of the washer, it will be reduced in thickness just enough to produce a flat annulus of uniform thickness. Having thus obtained a keystone shapedwire of the proper dimensions, the apparatus is adjusted to the desired washer and the operation is started as follows: The diameter of the arbor 14 is so chosenthat it will pass 'freely through. the inner opening of the its smaller edge adjacent to the arbor 14.

The wire is then bent about'the arbor man ually approximately one halfof one revo-.

lution just sufficient to. pass between the forming roll 35, and the arbor, and between the arbor and formin guide- 51. The feed rolls 31 and32 are t en revolved so as to cause the wire 'to be coiled about the arbor 14 in a manner shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Having started the coil formation, with a diameter only approximately that of the desired diameter of the finished washer, the two forn'iing guides 47 and 51 are moved slightly, towards or awayfrolh the arbor,

depending on whether it is desired to decrease or increase the diameter of the coil 37 and hence that of the finished washer; until a coil is formed of the same diameter as the desired washer. This adjustment is made with the aid of the set screws 46 and 50, and the lock screws 49 and 53 are tight-- ened thereafter, to secure the guides li'and 51 rigidly in their properly adjusted positions.

Having obtained the coil 37 of the exact diameter desired, the intermittent feeding of the wire through the forming or coiling devices, between the successive severing strokes of the cutter 13, is adjusted so as to form each convolution of said coil slightly less than a full revolution, thereby causing the cutter to severconvolution of coil with the ends thereof spaced apart with a slight clearance, when the same are brought into alignment. The accurate adjustment of the feed is obtained by merely adjusting? the position of the eccentric pivot pin 1 in the slot 16 until the exact amount of rotation of the rolls 31 and 32 is-obtained. Lock washers of the type referred to in the foregoing description have been made commercially heretofore, without however any serrated or roughened gripping faces such as produced by my novel method. This has been 'due to the fact that look washers have heretofore been either punched out of a sheet of metal, or have been made by winding a coil of wire about a revolving mandrel and then cutting u the finished coil into individual washers in a separate operation. In stamping the washers it is commercially impracticable to impress sufficiently deep and sharp serrations into the faces of the washer to produce permanent gripping faces, without resorting to separate operation which would make the cost of such washers prohibitive. In the second mentioned method of winding coils of wire, which are subsequently cut to form washers, the provision of serrated faces would necessitate a third and separate operation in the making of the washer, in addition to the two separate operations of coiling and cutting, already involved in the making thereof.

By my novel method and apparatus I produce the serrations simultaneously with the feeding or propulsion of the wire through the coiling devices, sever the wash ers as fast as they are formed, by alternate intermittent and synchronized "action of the wire propelling or feeding devices, and the shearing or severing devices.

t Will HOW be apparent that I have 10;,

vised a novel and useful method of and apparatus for making lock washers, which emwhich will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of modification in various particulars .without departing. from the spirit or scope of my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The hereindescribed method of forming lock washers, which consists in simultaneously roughening opposite sides of a keystone shaped bar and propelling the latter towards coiling devices, and lastly trans forming said bar from keystone to rectangular shape.

2. The hereindescribed method of forming lock washers, which consists in simultaneously roughening opposite sides of a keystone shaped bar and propellin the latter through coilin devices, and last y changing the shape of said bar while being coiled from keystone to rectangular shape.

3. The hereindescribed method of forming lock washers, which consists in roughening' opposite sides of a keystone shaped bar, propelling said bar towards coiling devices, simultaneously coiling the same and trans forming it to a rectangular cross-section, and lastly severing an outer coil at a side thereof, whereby a milled washer with offi set separated ends is formed. 4. The hereindescri'bed method of forming lock washers, which consists in rougening opposite sides of a keystone shaped bar, propelling said bar towards coiling devlces, simultaneously coiling the same and transformin it to a rectangular cross-section, separating the outer convoliitions of the coils so formed, and lastly severing an outer coil at a side thereof, whereby a milled washer with offset separated ends is formed. 5. The hereindescribed method of forming lock washers which consists -in serratin opposite sides of a keystone shaped bar an simultaneously propelling said bar throughcoilin devices, forming thesame into a coilfc anging the cross sectional shape of said bar during the coiling thereof to a rectangular shape, and lastly severing an outer coil at one side of its. support, whereby a milled lock Washer with offset juxtaposed endsds formed.

6. The hereindescribed method of forming lock washers, which consists in serratin opposite sides of a keystone sha 'd bar an simultaneously propelling said ar through I coiling devices, forming the same into a,

coil, changing the cross sectional'shape of said bar during the coiling thereof to a rectangular shape, separating the outer convolution ofthe coiled bar, and lastly severingan outer coil at one side of its support, whereby a milled lock washer with offset juxtaposed ends is formed.

7. The hereindescribed method of forming lock washers, which consists in serratingopposite sides ,of a keystone shaped bar, intermittently propelling said bar through coiling devices, whereby convolutions are formed, transforming the shape of said bar in cross section from keystone to rectangular, separating an outer convolution from the inner convolutions, and lastly cutting an outer convolution at a side thereof, whereby a lock washer having ofl'set juxtaposed ends is formed.

8. The hereindescribed method of making lock washers, which consists in propelling a keystone shaped bar towards coiling devices, roughening the opposed inclined sides of said bar simultaneously with said propulsion, forming said bar into a helical coil about an axis substantially parallel to the parallel edges of said bar, changing the cross sectionahshape of said bar from a-keystone to a substant1ally rectangular section simultaneously with said coil formation, and lastly severing the outer convolutions of said coil, whereby a lock washer having offset juxtaposed ends is formed.

9. The hereindescribed method of making lock washers, which consists in propelling a keystone shaped bar towards coiling devices intermittently, roughening the opposed inclined sides of said bar simultaneously with said propulsion, forming said bar into a helical coil about an axis. substantially parallel to the parallel'edges of said bar, changing the cross sectional shape of said .bar from a keystone to a; substantially rectangular section simultaneously with said coil formation, and-lastly severing the outer, convolutions of said coil alternately with the intermittent propulsion of said bar, whereby a lock washer having ofis'et juxtaposed ends is formed.

10. The hereindescribed method of making lock washerswhich consists in propelling a keystone shaped bar towards coiling devices, roughening the opposed inclined sides of said bar simultaneously with said propulsion, forming said bar into a helical coil about an axis substantially parallel to the parallel edges of said bar, changing the cross sectional shape of said bar, from a keystone to a substantially rectangular section simultaneously with said coil formation, separating the outer, convolution from the inner convolution, and lastl severin the outer convolutions of said 0011, where y a ,lock washer having ofl'set juxtaposed ends is formed. a I

11. The herindescribed method of making lock washers, which consists in propelling a keystone shaped bar towards coiling devices intermittently, roughening the opposed inclined sides of said bar simultaneously with said propulsion, forming said bar into a helical coil about an axis substantially parallel to the parallel edges of said bar, changing the cross sectional shape of said bar from a keystone to a substantially rectangular section simultaneously with said coil formation, separating the outer convolution from the inner convolution, and lastly severing the outer convolutions of said coil alternately with the intermittent propulsion of said bar, whereby a lock washer having offset juxtaposed ends is formed.

' 12. In an apparatus of the character stated, a wire coiling device, means to propel a keystone shapedwire through said coiling device, means coacting with said propelling synchronism with said propelling means to sever an outer convolution of the coil.

13. In an apparatus of the character stated, a wire coiling device, means to propel a keystone shaped wire through said coiling device, means integral with said propelling means to knurl the two opposed converging sides of the wire simultaneously with the propulsion thereof, said wire coiling device transforming said keystone shaped wire to a rectangular shape, and shearing means in synchronism withsaid propelling means to sever an outer convolution of the coil.

GEORGEK. GARRETT. 

